The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead...

Sunday November 22

RADIO: Lucy Trodd and Ruth Bratt return to Radio 4 for a second series of their sketch show Trodd En Bratt Say 'Well Done You'.Radio 4, 7.15pm

LIVE IN LONDON:The 'suspiciously cheap' comedy night run by dark sketch troupe Gein's Family Giftshop at the Backyard in Bethnal Green lives up to its name tonight, as your fiver gets you the playfully inventive mime of The Boy With Tape On His Face, multiple Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee James Acaster and much-tipped Mae Martin, as well as the hosts.

Monday November 23

RADIO: The Missing Hancocks are back, re-creating more of the episodes Ray Galton and Alan Simpson originally wrote for Tony Hancock. The scripts haven't been heard in 60 years, since the BBC wiped the original tapes, but now a new cast - headed by Kevin McNally as the Lad Himself - are bringing another five of them back to life. Tonight's opening episode, which originally aired in February 1956, is entitled How Hancock Won The War and has Tony tell the literally unbelievable about his war wound. The show also features Kevin Eldon as Bill Kerr; Simon Greenall as Sid James; Robin Sebastian as Kenneth Williams; and Susy Kane as Andree Melly. Radio 4, 11.30am

Tuesday November 24

LIVE IN MANCHESTER: The regular Lip Synchin Battle moves from the Comedy Store to the Frog & Bucket, just a couple of months before the concept becomes a Channel 5 show with Mel B at the helm.

Wednesday November 25

LIVE IN LONDON: Back at the Backyard, Sabotage boasts a impressive line-up of Andrew Maxwell, Kevin Eldon, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Miles Jupp, Sara Pascoe, Sofie Hagen at what looks to be a great bargain at £8.

Friday November 27

LIVE IN EDINBURGH: The comedy programme at the Christmas Spiegeltent in St Andrew's Square kicks off with the ingenious improvised storytelling of Austentatious tonight; and continues with the final of the annual Scottish Comedian Of The Year final tomorrow.

LIVE IN LONDON: The Story Beast starts as a parody of Beowulf - which is far more a joke about Ray Winstone than it is Old English mythology - before moving on to an equally inventive yarn about storytelling itself. No wonder John Henry Falle's creation was nominated for best newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe this year… and now it comes to the Kings Place venue near Kings Cross.

LIVE IN NOTTINGHAM: Spencer Jones brings his brilliant silent comedy creation The Herbert to Nottingham, playing Das Kino tonight.

Published: 22 Nov 2015